Can opening device

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a can opening device for allowing beverage or the like contained within a can to easily flow out. The can opening device of the present invention comprising a pair of opening portions defined by incision lines at positions spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval on a top surface of the can filled with contents; an opening member including a pair of pressing portions for pressing the pair of opening portions, respectively, and a grip integrally formed with the pressing portions so as to extend in a direction opposite to the pressing portions; and a pair of lever fulcrums which fix the opening member to the top surface and are disposed close to the pressing portions so that the pressing portions press down the opening portions to be spaced apart from the top surface when the grip is pulled up. It is most preferable that the pair of opening portions be formed at marginal positions symmetric to each other on the top surface. Thus, according to the present invention, the pair of opening portions can be easily opened with the single opening member. Therefore, it is expected to obtain an advantage that the contents contained within the can may more easily flow out.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a can opening device for a beverage can, and more particularly, to a can opening device for a beverage can, which is constructed such that beverage contained within the can may more easily flow out.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an opening portion of a conventional can. As shown in the figure, contents such as beverage and beer to be drunk are generally contained within a can body 10, and a can opening device is generally attached to a top or bottom surface 12. An opening member 20 attached to the top surface 12 through a lever fulcrum 24 is used to open a predetermined portion of the top surface of the can body 10, and the opening member 20 comprises a grip 22 extending to one side with respect to the lever fulcrum 24, and a pressing portion 26 extending to the other side with respect to the lever fulcrum 24.

[0005] An opening portion 29 defined by an incision line 28 grooved with a predetermined depth is formed on a portion of the top surface 12 below the pressing portion 26.

[0006] Here, when a user pulls up the grip 22 of the opening member 20, the pressing portion 26 of the opening member 20 opposite to the grip 22 is moved downward around the lever fulcrum 24. When the pressing portion 26 is moved downward, a downward force is applied to the opening portion 29, and the opening portion 29 is then substantially separated from the top surface 12 along the incision line 28 for defining the opening portion 29. With this action, the opening portion 29 is substantially opened so that the beverage contained within the can body 10 may flow out.

[0007] However, there are the following problems in the prior art. That is, when the beverage flows out from the interior of the can body 10, exterior air should be introduced into the interior of the can body 10 to the contrary so that the beverage can smoothly flow out. However, in the constitution of the can according to the prior art, since only one opening portion such as the opening portion 29 is formed, there is a disadvantage in that the contents can not smoothly flow out in a process of introduction of the exterior air and simultaneous outflow of the beverage. Therefore, in an initial stage until a predetermined amount of beverage substantially flows out from the can (until the exterior air is introduced through an upper part of the opening portion while the beverage flows out through a lower part of the opening portion by tilting the can at a predetermined angle), it is very difficult to drain the beverage.

[0008] Further, in the conventional constitution as described above, since the entire grip 22 of the opening member 20 is generally very small in size, it is inconvenient to pull up the grip 22. For example, since the grip 22 is small in size, it is difficult for a thick-fingered user to catch and pull up the grip 22 with force larger than that required for opening the can. Of course, it is very difficult for children, the old and the weak, and women to catch and pull up the grip 22.

[0009] In order to overcome these disadvantages, several devices have been proposed. For example, Korean Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 1999-010583 discloses a constitution in which an additional opening portion is formed on a portion of a top surface in the rear of an opening member. However, according to this constitution, since large force is required when the opening member is pulled up, there is a disadvantage in that it is very inconvenient to use the opening member.

[0010] Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0169037 discloses a constitution in which a protrusion is formed on the bottom of a grip of an opening member. The grip is pulled up to open an opening portion in a top surface, and is then pressed against the top surface of a can body to form an additional hole. However, according to this constitution, there is inconvenience in that the opening member should be operated two times in use.

[0011] In a further example of the prior art, introduction of the exterior air into a can is facilitated by installing two opening portions such as the opening portion 20 shown in FIG. 1. However, there are disadvantages in that manufacturing costs are highly increased, and in that an operation for opening the can should be carried out twice or more times in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The present invention is contemplated to solve the above problems. A primary object of the present invention is to provide a can opening device, wherein contents contained within a can smoothly flow out by facilitating introduction of exterior air into the can while the contents flow out from the can.

[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a can opening device constructed such that a user can more easily open a can.

[0014] According to the present invention for achieving the above objects, there is provided a can opening device comprising at least two opening portions defined by incision lines at positions spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval on a top surface of a can filled with contents; an opening member including a pair of pressing portions for pressing the pair of opening portions, respectively, and a grip integrally formed with the pressing portions so as to extend in a direction opposite to the pressing portions; and a pair of lever fulcrums which fix the opening member to the top surface and are disposed close to the pressing portions so that the pressing portions press down the opening portions to be spaced apart from the top surface when the grip is pulled up.

[0015] It is most preferable that the pair of opening portions be formed at marginal positions symmetric to each other on the top surface.

[0016] Further, according to the present invention, the opening member takes the shape of a half moon, and the pressing portions are formed at both ends of a diametrical line of the half-moon shape.

[0017] Thus, according to the constitution of the present invention, the pair of opening portions can be easily opened with the single opening member. Therefore, it is expected to obtain an advantage that the contents contained within the can may more easily flow out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0019]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional can;

[0020]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a can according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0021]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a can according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 2, an opening device of the present invention is constructed such that one opening member 50 can simultaneously open two opening portions 60 a, 60 b.

[0024] The opening member 50 includes a grip 52 capable of being caught by a user's finger(s) and a pair of pressing portions 54 a, 54 b spaced apart diametrically from each other and disposed at front portions of the grip 52.

[0025] The grip 52 is substantially positioned at a marginal position on one side of a top surface 70 of a can, and the pressing portions 54 a, 54 b as described above are formed at both ends of the grip 52 extending in a direction opposite to the one side. In the embodiment shown in the figure, it can be seen that the opening member 50 has a hollow half-moon shape, and that the pressing portions 54 a, 54 b are formed at both ends of a diametrical line of the half-moon shape. In order to easily transmit force generated when the user pulls up the grip 52 of the opening member 50 to the pressing portions 54 a, 54 b via a pair of lever fulcrums Ha, Hb, a reinforcement portion 55 is formed radially at the hollow portion of the opening member 50.

[0026] Between the grip 52 and the pressing portions 54 a, 54 b, the pair of lever fulcrums Ha, Hb are disposed close to the pressing portions 54 a, 54 b to allow each of the pressing portions 54 a, 54 b to carry out a lever action. The lever fulcrums Ha, Hb are disposed to allow the pressing portions 54 a, 54 b to substantially press down the opening portions 60 a, 60 b, and serve as portions for supporting the opening member 50 and the top surface 70 of the can in a state where they are connected to each other.

[0027] The pair of opening portions 60 a, 60 b are formed on portions of the top surface 70 below the pressing portions 54 a, 54 b. The opening portions 60 a, 60 b are portions constructed to be separated from the top surface 70 when pressed down by the pressing portions 54 a, 54 b since they are substantially defined by incision lines 62 a, 62 b. It is desirable that although the opening portions 54 a, 54 b are separated from the top surface 70 when pressed down by the pressing portions 54 a, 54 b, a part of each of the opening portions 60 a, 60 b (for example, a part adjacent to each of the pressing portions) is constructed to be kept in a state connected to the top surface 70.

[0028] Referring to the opening portions 60 a, 60 b, a relatively large opening portion 60 b is a portion through which the contents contained within the can flow out, and a relatively small opening portion 60 a is a portion through which exterior air is introduced into the can when the contents flow out. It can be seen that the pair of opening portions 60 a, 60 b are formed at outer marginal positions opposite to each other on the top surface 70 of the can.

[0029] Below the grip 52 of the opening member 50, a gripping recess 72 is formed to be depressed below the level of the top surface 70 of the can. This gripping recess 72 serves to allow the grip 52 to be more easily caught when the user catches the grip 52 by the user's finger(s).

[0030] Next, the opening process of the can of the present invention having the aforementioned constitution will be explained in conjunction with its constitution.

[0031] First, when the user intending to drink the contents contained within the can pulls up the grip 52 of the opening member, the pair of the pressing portions 54 a, 54 b of the opening member 50 opposite to the grip 52 are moved downward around the pair of lever fulcrums Ha, Hb. The grip 52 of the present invention tends to be made relatively larger than that of the conventional grip. Therefore, since the grip of the present invention is larger than the conventional grip in size, the user can easily catch the grip 52 and more easily open the can.

[0032] Since the grip 52 of the present invention has a shape much larger than that of the conventional grip, it is natural that the user can easily catch the grip 52 by the user's finger(s). For example, the grip 52 may be pulled up by means of two fingers. Thus, since it becomes very easy to open the can of the present invention, children, the old and the weak, or the like can easily open the can.

[0033] Here, in order to accurately transmit the force generated when the grip 52 is pulled up to the pressing portions 54 a, 54 b, the reinforcement portion 55 is provided along the force transmitting direction in the middle of the opening member 50. Alternatively, the entire opening member 50 including the grip 52 and the pressing portions 54 a, 54 b may also be formed in the shape of one integral plate.

[0034] In the above process, when the pressing portions 54 a, 54 b are moved downward, the downward force is applied to the opening portions 60 a, 60 b, and the opening portions 60 a, 60 b are then substantially separated from the top surface 70 along the incision lines 62 a, 62 b for defining the opening portions, respectively. With this action, the opening portions 60 a, 60 b are substantially opened in the top surface 70 so that the beverage contained within the can may flow out.

[0035] Here, the opening portion 60 b is the portion through which the contents contained within the can substantially flow out, and the opening portion 60 a opposite to the opening portion 60 b is the portion through which the exterior air is introduced into the can when the contents contained within the can flow out. Therefore, the opening portion 60 b is preferably formed to be larger than the opening portion 60 a. The opening portions 60 a, 60 b are preferably formed at positions opposite to each other on the top surface 70 of the can, which allows the exterior air to be easily introduced through the opening portion 60 a into the can while the contents flow out through the opening portion 60 b when the can is tilted.

[0036] Therefore, when the contents flow out by tilting the can, the exterior air is introduced through the upper opening portion 60 a while the contents flow out through the lower opening portion 60 b. Thus, outflow of the contents can be very smoothly carried out. In particular, the carbonated contents can much more smoothly flow out compared to the prior art.

[0037] Within the technical scope that the opening member 50 of the present invention has the pair of pressing portions 54 a, 54 b at both sides thereof, various changes and modifications may be made thereto. For example, as in another embodiment shown in FIG. 3, an indented portion 52 a′ may be formed to be concavely curved from an outer portion of an opening member 50′ to the interior thereof on a grip 52′ formed at the center of the outer portion of the opening member 50′. With such indented portion 52 a′, since much larger space is formed between the grip 52′ and a rim portion C of the can, the user's finger(s) can more easily catch and pull up the grip, and thus, it becomes substantially easy and convenient to open the can.

[0038] As described above, according to the present invention, it can be seen that a fundamental technical spirit of the present invention is that the can is opened by simultaneously pressing down at least two opening portions 60 a, 60 b formed at both sides of the top surface 70 with the single opening member 50.

[0039] As described above, according to the present invention, it is expected to obtain an advantage that the contents contained within the can may very smoothly flow out. That is, since the exterior air is introduced through the opening portion 60 a into the can while the contents such as beverage contained within the can flow out through the opening portion 60 b, the contents can more smoothly flow out. Therefore, if the opening device according to the present invention is implemented, it is expected to obtain conveniences of use that the beverage or the like contained within the can may be easily drunk.

[0040] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention should be construed only by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A can opening device, comprising: a pair of opening portions 60 a, 60 b defined by incision lines 62 a, 62 b at outer marginal positions opposite to each other on a top surface 70 of a can filled with contents; an opening member 50 including a pair of pressing portions 54 a, 54 b for pressing the pair of opening portions, respectively, and a grip 52 integrally formed with the pressing portions so as to extend in a direction opposite to the pressing portions; and a pair of lever fulcrums which fix the opening member to the top surface and are disposed close to the pressing portions so that the pressing portions press down the opening portions to be spaced apart from the top surface when the grip is pulled up.
 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening member takes the shape of a half moon, and the pressing portions are formed at both ends of a diametrical line of the half-moon shape.
 3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a gripping recess 72 is formed to be depressed below the level of the top surface 70 under the grip.
 4. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the opening member takes the shape of a hollow half moon, and a reinforcement portion 55 is formed in the middle of the hollow half-moon shape.
 5. The device as claimed in claim 2 or 4, wherein an indented portion is formed to be concavely curved toward the interior of the opening member on an outer portion thereof. 